4/7/12 - Reds vs Marlins

[cbowen2112]

Let's hope old Bell is just way too rusty out there!!!

[reds44]

Latos career/entering tonight: April 1-6 (5.57)...rest of season 26-23 (3.14)

[WVRedsFan]

I guess starting the season 1-1 is an old Reds tradition. Seems like more often than not its been that way

[reds44]

I guess starting the season 1-1 is an old Reds tradition. Seems like more often than not its been that way

We started 5-0 last year and 0-2 the year before lol

[WVRedsFan]

I'll take 1-1 over 0-2

[Kc61]

Didn't figure that the Marlins would lose every game. They were due to win. But the pitching matchup favored the Reds tonight. And now they have lost.

[WVRedsFan]

Final 8-3 Marlins. Middle of the order 1-12.
First pitch hitting kills.

[Tony Cloninger]

Welsh said Randy Of Pure Blood told him that Nolasco would attack the zone and change speeds..... well he did change speeds....but his pitches were either moving better than they looked....beacuse they were not really a majority of strikes. Just pitches that looked close ...and with a patient impaired hitting team.... that's bad news.

[Tony Cloninger]

I disagree. Votto has a two run homer. What have the righty bats contributed?

Look at Nolasco's splits for last year, for his career. You want to get to him, load up the lineup with LH hitters. Reds don't have them.

Really good pitchers are equally tough against all hitting. For them, it doesn't matter.

For guys like Nolasco, he can't overcome the percentages. Load up the lineup with LH hitters you have a big advantage. Whatever, I'm tired of making this argument, the Reds obviously don't buy it.

You forgot what Cozart did.

Even if they get a LH bat for LF.....you still have RH at 2B, 3B and C and SS. YOu are stuck with RH and they are not going to platoon those positions with another LH bat.

[mth123]

You forgot what Cozart did.

Even if they get a LH bat for LF.....you still have RH at 2B, 3B and C and SS. YOu are stuck with RH and they are not going to platoon those positions with another LH bat.

If you look at the splits, the Reds line-up is filled with guys who murder LHP and really struggle against RHP. The main culprits held over from last year are Rolen, Stubbs, Cairo and Hanigan, but Phillips has historically been very splitty and rookie RH bats in Cozart and Mesoraco figure to have a platoon split as well. Both Ludwick and Heisey have been OK vs RHP. This is where the Francisco deal hurts IMO. Rolen really struggled against RHP last year. Francisco would have been another lefty who hits against RHP and I do think the Reds should have a lefty who can play twice per week at 3B while Rolen rests. Perhaps Willie Harris will get a chance, but he's not really a hitter who helps against anyone.

Another LH Bat in the OF may allow the Reds to sit Stubbs a little more against RHP with Heisey shifting to CF. I think when a RH is on the mound, the Reds need at least one more guy who hits well against them in the line-up. That may not be one player. It may be a guy who can hit RHP playing 3B a couple days per week and another subbing for Stubbs on other days. The way the roster is structured, the Reds are vulnerable to RHP which happens to be about 70% of the time. Unfortunately, the next guy in line at AAA (Todd Frazier) may also be more of a lefty killer at the major league level.

[Kc61]

If you look at the splits, the Reds line-up is filled with guys who murder LHP and really struggle against RHP. The main culprits held over from last year are Rolen, Stubbs, Cairo and Hanigan, but Phillips has historically been very splitty and rookie RH bats in Cozart and Mesoraco figure to have a platoon split as well. Both Ludwick and Heisey have been OK vs RHP. This is where the Francisco deal hurts IMO. Rolen really struggled against RHP last year. Francisco would have been another lefty who hits against RHP and I do think the Reds should have a lefty who can play twice per week at 3B while Rolen rests. Perhaps Willie Harris will get a chance, but he's not really a hitter who helps against anyone.

Another LH Bat in the OF may allow the Reds to sit Stubbs a little more against RHP with Heisey shifting to CF. I think when a RH is on the mound, the Reds need at least one more guy who hits well against them in the line-up. That may not be one player. It may be a guy who can hit RHP playing 3B a couple days per week and another subbing for Stubbs on other days. The way the roster is structured, the Reds are vulnerable to RHP which happens to be about 70% of the time. Unfortunately, the next guy in line at AAA (Todd Frazier) may also be more of a lefty killer at the major league level.

The key starting player in all this IMO is Heisey.

Because he has hit righties well, the Reds use Heisey as a substitute for a left handed hitter.

It seems likely that eventually the percentages will catch up with Chris and he will level off against RHP.

I think a more traditional platoon in LF, with a lefty hitter and Ludwick, would be better.

As for Rolen, he was hurt last year, it shouldn't count much. Over his career he hits righty pitching well enough. My concern with Rolen isn't so much hitting RHP, it's more whether he is healthy enough to be effective generally.

[Tony Cloninger]

If you look at the splits, the Reds line-up is filled with guys who murder LHP and really struggle against RHP. The main culprits held over from last year are Rolen, Stubbs, Cairo and Hanigan, but Phillips has historically been very splitty and rookie RH bats in Cozart and Mesoraco figure to have a platoon split as well. Both Ludwick and Heisey have been OK vs RHP. This is where the Francisco deal hurts IMO. Rolen really struggled against RHP last year. Francisco would have been another lefty who hits against RHP and I do think the Reds should have a lefty who can play twice per week at 3B while Rolen rests. Perhaps Willie Harris will get a chance, but he's not really a hitter who helps against anyone.

Another LH Bat in the OF may allow the Reds to sit Stubbs a little more against RHP with Heisey shifting to CF. I think when a RH is on the mound, the Reds need at least one more guy who hits well against them in the line-up. That may not be one player. It may be a guy who can hit RHP playing 3B a couple days per week and another subbing for Stubbs on other days. The way the roster is structured, the Reds are vulnerable to RHP which happens to be about 70% of the time. Unfortunately, the next guy in line at AAA (Todd Frazier) may also be more of a lefty killer at the major league level.

I am in agreement with you and KC. But they sure wasted time doing something about this sooner.

I think even Javier Valentin would be preferred over Willie Harris right now.....but who knows....Miguel surprised everyone for the last 2 years as well.

[Kc61]

I am in agreement with you and KC. But they sure wasted time doing something about this sooner.

I think even Javier Valentin would be preferred over Willie Harris right now.....but who knows....Miguel surprised everyone for the last 2 years as well.

It doesn't seem to have been a priority.

They made two key decisions. First, they decided to go with Heisey/Ludwick for LF. I think both players are pretty good, but they are too similar. A traditional platoon made more sense.

The second decision was to trade Francisco. Again, fine, but as you say, this leaves Willie Harris as the LHH on the bench. Reds could use a better LH bench hitter.

[Tony Cloninger]

It doesn't seem to have been a priority.

They made two key decisions. First, they decided to go with Heisey/Ludwick for LF. I think both players are pretty good, but they are too similar. A traditional platoon made more sense.

The second decision was to trade Francisco. Again, fine, but as you say, this leaves Willie Harris as the LHH on the bench. Reds could use a better LH bench hitter.

Raul Ibanez? I know....he's 40. But he signed for less than $2 million.

Of course.... since Heisey cannot hit LH pitching beacuse of his inability to reach out for pitches ...it seems and his plate coverage is not very good on the outside..... than it would not have made a difference.

[mth123]

The key starting player in all this IMO is Heisey.

Because he has hit righties well, the Reds use Heisey as a substitute for a left handed hitter.

It seems likely that eventually the percentages will catch up with Chris and he will level off against RHP.

I think a more traditional platoon in LF, with a lefty hitter and Ludwick, would be better.

As for Rolen, he was hurt last year, it shouldn't count much. Over his career he hits righty pitching well enough. My concern with Rolen isn't so much hitting RHP, it's more whether he is healthy enough to be effective generally.

I think its a mistake to assume that Rolen's new found health will last. He had a surgery that relieved his pain and freed his swing and right now that's great, but he's had surgery before, felt better and after a couple of months of wear and tear through playing baseball was right back to pain, reduced production and frequent missed paying time. I hope Rolen can have an .800+ OPS season with 500 PAs, but I think counting on it (as the team seems to be doing with him penciled in as the clean-up hitter) is a foolish plan. We may witness a couple of good months, but I'd prefer he be a bottom of the order guy where his production could be a bonus. On the current roster, there really isn't a good choice, but I hope some one can emerge as a middle of the order force against RHP down the road for when Rolen may not be so healthy. I though Francisco may have been one of the better bets for that before he was dealt. I'd probably put the best odds on Ludwick of the guys that are left.